Translation - art & business » Being independent »
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"Talk to the hand ...
Thread poster: Claudia Krysztofiak
Melina Kajander
Melina Kajander
Finland
English to Finnish
+ ...
Agree... May 25, 2007

David Webb wrote:
"Rejected without further discussion" is simply as rude as can be. Why do they feel they can make assumptions about someone on the basis of not following that rule? Rates should NOT be mentioned in the subject line of an email. That is simply for their convenience so they don't have to read the email, but why should all the key information go in the subject line? Also, point (2) CAT tool discount rates. Why ask this? The answer should always be 0%. Any translation software is purely for the convenience of the translator. At least that is how it SHOULD be, and if all translators insisted on that, it would be a good thing. Messenger ID? Why should everyone be on Yahoo messenger?


I fully agree!
 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:34
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Politeness in foreign languages Jul 12, 2007

Claudia Krysztofiak wrote:
So "someone like this" - not a native speaker of English - cannot be expected to be polite, though maybe not in a very fluent manner. I am no native speaker, too. Hope I did not offend anyone here ...


Though this is a sidetracking issue, since it was brought up...

I often get "spam" (at least it seems mass-mailed as such) from fellow translators across the globe, offering their services. Amazingly enough, I can "read" their accent in English, from the way they write.

Though I only translate between ENPT, I speak IT, FR, and ES sufficiently well to get by, and quite politely! S'il vous plait, prego, por favor, merci beaucoup, grazie tanto, muchas gracias.

However I have a minimum knowledge of Polish, from having listened to my parents during the first 25 years of my life. Tak, I can speak it if absolutely necessary to save a life, but so badly that it raises roaring laughter from anyone who understands.

The result is that speaking Polish turns me suddenly impolite. Instead of asking:
"Could you please tell me where is the restroom?"
I'd be limited to say the Polish equivalent to:
"I must ****! Now!"

Maybe this is why these people seem "impolite". Their knowledge of English is probably limited to the bare essentials for survival.

I did a relatively recent job for a French-named PM from an English-speaking country. I could "hear" the French accent from his e-mail messages. But he was always extremely polite.
 
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